Glimpses
by Morrigan Mikagami
Summary: An unusual pairing, an explorative series of fanfic vignettes. The fourth vignette: In which Natsumi is confused and Ban refuses to be a lech.
1. Vig 1: The Sweetest Thing

Author's Notes: First of all, I want to stress on this fact: THIS IS AN EXPLORATIVE FIC. THE PAIRING IS EXPERIMENTAL. Partly, this is canon, if you consider Ban's and Natsumi's interaction, there is_ potential_. Some of you might agree, and I know there'd be protesting fans as well—but all I'm asking is to hear this out, give it a chance, because I believe it could work. This is one of a short series of "themed vignettes" (meaning, there's a theme for every scene/snippet fic), it really depends on how their compatibilities work together (at least for me), but that's as far as I go.

Sankyuu Bu-chan for the wonderful beta-work! And to all my LJ pals for the encouragement, support and brainstorming. De minna-san, onegaishimasu! Reviews are well appreciated :)

Theme #1: Cakes  
Title: The Sweetest Thing  
Summary: After that mission at the hot springs (episode 25 of anime: the hilarious Lake episode), Ban fulfills his end of the deal with Natsumi.

Disclaimers: Dakkanya Get Backers and its characters are owned by Rando Ayame and Aoki Yuya. The only thing I'm claiming here is the lovely theme and the plot, I am in no way affiliated with them!

* * *

If there was one thing that the Great Mido Ban-sama was bad at, it was losing; as Ginji always liked to put it: Ban-chan is such a _sore_ loser. 

The word was never included in Ban's vocabulary, because for someone who thrives on whatever it takes to ensure his survival, losing was a concept he dared not tolerate. Besides, he cannot even _stand_ the idea of losing, much less entertain it.

Simply put, Midou Ban just cannot lose. Not to anything. No matter what. Not even in something as trivial as a table tennis match.

Except, he had.

This was why he now found himself inside Minamisanjodou Café, looking sourly at the nicely decorated cakes inside the display counter. The lady behind it watched him with sheer apprehension. In this type of place, his casual jeans and loose shirt didn't quite fit in, but Ban merely shrugged off the sneering looks from the other customers. What did they care? He _was_ another customer too.

"Oi, Ginji," he called out to his best friend, who was currently ogling the sweets hungrily, "Which one are we getting?"

Ginji had hearts in his eyes and drool on the side of his mouth, "Ohh, I want _that_ one, Ban-chan!" He squealed excitedly, pointing at a triple-decked chocolate slice laced with strawberry syrup.

_Smack._

"Kono baka!" He pinched Ginji's ears to get his attention, and poor chibi Gin-chan flailed his arms feverishly in the air. "I'm not getting one for us! The ridiculously over-priced cake is for Natsumi, remember?"

The lady behind the counter shot them a dirty look.

Ban ignored it once again and scanned the many assorted cakes and sweets. Did he really care which one they were supposed to get for Natsumi? He could just point at some cheap-looking cheesecake and get it over with; their prices almost the same anyway.

"Ee to… Natsumi-chan mentioned something about their cheesecakes…" Ginji was pointing at the Sans Rival. "But I think she likes something else…"

Natsumi always seemed to know what the two of them each liked when it came to food. Whenever they were out of a job and broke, she had always snuck out food for them when Paul wasn't looking. And his menu had always been different from Ginji's; not that he was complaining, but he did prefer the fresh, raw maki and sushi to the sweet egg rolls and takoyaki that Ginji loves. Really, he appreciated the effort Natsumi put into distinguishing their likings.

Ban readjusted his glasses on his nose bridge. "We'll take the Tira Misu. To go," He told the cake lady tersely.

"Demo, Ban-chan! There's no Miso soup in there—"

_Smack._

Chibi Gin-chan rubbed his pained skull as Ban took out his wallet.

"That'd be one-thousand Yen," The cake lady told him curtly.

"For that small piece of cake!" His loud, incredulous reply startled a few customers.

The lady nodded. She looked quite smug and satisfied that they had bought an expensive item.

Ban cursed under his breath. Did he really _care_ that much?

After taking the neatly boxed up cake and receipt, he dragged Ginji out of the café and walked back to the Honky Tonk moodily.

Next time, he thought, he wouldn't lose to Natsumi. He's got some techniques up his sleeve that, unfortunately, he hadn't been able to use because she'd been too fast for him—amazingly. It was just table tennis, for crying out loud! He shouldn't have lost in that! He'd use the Jagan if he had to… _next time…_ He cackled, as he pictured himself victorious.

"Tadaima!" Ginji bounced all too happily as they entered the Honky Tonk. Paul was sulking behind the registry, counting his money.

"Okaeri nasai, Gin-chan!" Natsumi returned to him as cheerfully. He expected her to be, with what her salary tripled and with the treat she was getting from the Get Backers.

"Natsumi-chan! Look what Ban-chan got you!"

Ban smirked coolly as he held up the package, with the Minamisanjodou motif imprinted on one side. "I'll win next time, Natsumi-_chan_." He told her confidently, "And this cake will be returned to me with interest!"

Natsumi only beamed innocently at him, as she took the box and opened it. "Hai hai, Ban-san!"

He watched her peer into the box, her eyes growing wide when she saw the cake, a look of pure delight spreading across her soft features.

"Tira Misu!" She squealed, "'Atashi mo suki desu yo!"

What happened next was something he never really expected: Natsumi leaned and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Arigato, Ban-san!"

He was caught off guard. But before he could even react—or was he even supposed to?—she had bounded off behind the counter, clutching tenderly at the boxed cake and began reaching for forks and plates, still smiling as though he'd just given her the best present ever.

He must've stood there looking quite stupid; feeling blood rush to his cheeks, and it wasn't too long before Ginji noticed.

"Are? Ban-chan, why are you blushing?"

Embarrassment at having being caught in such an exposed state brought the Great Midou Ban-sama back to time-present and to being his usually _kechi_ self.

"Urusei!" He snapped.

Ginji and Natsumi laughed genially.

When they finally turned away, Ban let his fingers grazed lightly at that point where Natsumi's lips had touched the skin of his cheek. He smirked nonchalantly as he sat down at the counter.

Che. Maybe sometimes, losing wasn't that bad after all.

* * *

Transltions:

_Kono baka!_ - Literally it means, "This idiot!" Once in the anime, Ban had used "Kono bokya!" >xD  
_Ee to_ - equivalent of "Hmm.." or "Let me see.." or "Err.."  
_Tadaima_ - means "I'm here now" or "I'm back", usually a greeting when one arrives at home.  
_Okaeri nasai_ - is the reply to Tadaima usually, means, "Welcome back/home."  
_'Atashi mo suki desu yo_ - Literally translates to "My like!" but I meant it for Natsumi to say, "This is my favorite" if the sentence construction is "Atashi mo suki na."  
_Arigato_ - Thank you.  
_Kechi_ - means a stingy person.  
_Urusei _- the right spelling is "Urusai" which means "noisy" or "annoying" but it is also used to say, "Shut up!" or "Be quiet!". Ban in the anime says it more like with an 'e' than an 'a'.


	2. Vig 2: Someone to Watch over Me

Author's Notes: I had actually planned to publish another fic for the second installment of this Ban/Natsumi vignettes, but the Muse insisted on this one instead. I'm sorry, it could be a little boring though!–not that Natsumi's boring, I like her, even as a minor character—just that, it was a bit of work drawing from her perspective. Ah well, I'll let you guys be the judge of that. Reviews are very much appreciated, of course! I have to give warning for the little OOCness that may ensue, though. Any case, enjoy!

This fanfic is for all the Ban x Natsumi fans out there, especially to everyone who gave a nice review to the first installment. My Christmas present to all of you. HAPPY HOLIDAYS minna:)

Theme #2: Blue  
Vignette Title: Someone to Watch over Me

Disclaimers: Rando Ayame and Aoki Yuya own Dakkanya Get Backers and its characters. The only thing I'm claiming here is the lovely theme and plot; I am in no way affiliated with them! And as much as Ban-chan would rather that I make money out of this writing, well… -evil grin- …too bad, I'm not. Oh, and the lines from the song that appear in this fic is not mine either, I'm not sure who wrote and composed it—though Sting sings it beautifully! Borrowing, borrowing tte ba!

* * *

+-------------------------------------------------------+

_There's a somebody I'm longing to see  
I hope that she turns out to be  
Someone to watch over me_

+-------------------------------------------------------+

Had she ever found out the reason why the sky is so blue, especially on clear, sunny days like today?

She must have had. During one of her science classes, the teacher must have explained it. However, it never really tugged at her curiosity, so she never really cared and paid attention as to why. For her, some things were better if left to their mystery; their beauty can be much more appreciated that way.

Besides, does it really matter? The cloudless, blue sky reminds her of happy things and happy memories. It reminds her of hope; that despite the vastness and limitlessness of the heavens, whenever she would wake up to a blue sky, she can continue to believe in her dreams. It gives her a sense of warmth, of calmness, because somewhere, up there, her mother is watching over her. Those are enough reasons for her why the sky is so blue.

Smiling, she peeled her gaze away from the large, un-curtained window of the Honky Tonk and carried on with her task of buffing the wooden countertop. Perhaps she'd invite Ginji for a picnic at the park, after he gets back from running the grocery-shopping errand for Paul. It would be a shame to waste such a pleasant day.

As her hand moves across the corner of the counter, she noticed an abandoned cup of brewed coffee, emptied of its contents, a blue inscription on its side that read: "The Invincible Mido Ban-sama's Personal Cup".

She took it and turned towards its owner, "Ban-san, would you like another—" There was a mild look of surprise when she laid her eyes on his sleeping form: his arms propped up against the countertop, his right hand on his chin, and his head lolling a bit even while supported by the column on one side. Her next words came in a hushed sigh, "—cup of coffee."

Natsumi smiled.

Rarely did she ever see him like this: peaceful and undisturbed; for a quiet instant, the rowdy brashness did not seem to exist at all. It was, she admits, quite refreshing. She decided to watch him for a while, stealing this candid memory and storing it to mind. Oddly enough though, she felt like she was missing something about him.

Ban's head lolled a bit forward and his purple sunglasses slipped from the bridge of his nose, revealing his closed eyelids. It was then that she realized what it was.

She remembered the first time their eyes met, when she had instantly fallen hypnotized to his deep, cerulean orbs. There was a sharp, magnetic intensity in his eyes, from which she somehow couldn't pull away her gaze. He had been the first to look away then, and adjusted the purple shades to cover his eyes. It was a little later that she found out about his Jagan, when after having recovered from faint at that scary incident involving the police officer who took her _neko_-mascot, Ban gave her a nice dream about her mother as an 'after-service' to their retrieval.

Gingerly, she approached Ban, careful not to wake him as she removed his glasses and placed them inside the front pocket of his shirt. She often wondered what he would look like without them blocking his eyes from view. She wished she could see them now—his eyes. Ban's eyes are so beautiful…

Daring to move a bit closer, she brushed a few strands of stray hair away from his face, and gazed softly down at him.

Had she ever found out the reason why Ban's eyes were so blue?

She reckoned it must have been because of his European blood. It probably has something to do with his curse as well, a dark enigma that swims beneath the surface of those bright, azure orbs. She never really bothered to ask why he usually looks away when their eyes meet, or why he hides them behind the purple shades.

But did it really matter? Whenever she'd look into Ban's eyes, even only for an instant, she's reminded of precious things and precious memories. They offer her hope, that despite the things she might lose in her life, she can always count on him to find it and get it back for her. They give her a sense of serenity, of comfort, because even here on this earth, someone is also watching over her.

Her lips curved into another smile as she eased Ban's arms onto the table and let him lay there in a more comfortable position. He grunted a bit of protest, but continued to sleep soundly, nonetheless.

There are some things better left unknown, words better left unsaid. Perhaps some day, she would be able to gaze at him openly, like this. Perhaps some day, he'd let her look at him without shying away, without hiding. But she decided that for now, she could content herself on merely watching over him as he snuggled in his slumber.

…And somewhere in his sleep, the Great Mido Ban-sama would smile, too.

* * *

Translations: 

_neko_ - cat; the neko-mascot was the doll that Natsumi's mother stitched for her.


	3. Vig 3: Some things take Time

Author's Notes: There! I've finally managed to finish this piece! Been stuck with it for quite a while (been sitting in my desktop for months gathering Momiji-dustbunnies ;) I really didn't know how to go about with some of the scenes, which might have made Ban a bit OOC --; (how could I do this to him!) Nevertheless, I do hope you still enjoy and would very much appreciate your C&C's! Thanks for reading! Thanks for Bu-chan for the last-minute beta-work (and for ditching her homework because of me )

Theme #3: Wounds  
Vignette Title: Some things take time  
Summary:  During Mission Retrieve the Bento, episode 30-something in the anime (not in the manga I think, it's a filler episode). Yes, the one where Shido was hailed master of all wild monkeys. Ever wonder who takes care of the Get Backers when they're injured on missions?

Disclaimers: Getto Bakkarazu and its characters are owned by Rando Ayamine-sensei and Aoki Yuya-sensei. The only thing I'm claiming here is the theme and plot—because my lovely Muse invented them—and in no way am l affiliated with any of these people (or will I ever be --;)

Translations:  
Itai – "It's painful"; "Hurts!"  
Saru – monkey  
Demo – "but"  
Daijoubu desu ka? – "Are you ok?" (polite)

* * *

The Invincible Ban-sama will never admit to pain – he was –is _invincible_ after all – and if he can help it, he can just pretend that the fresh wound on his right arm did not exist in the first place; and that the salty sweat that trailed down his neck, permeating into the bandaged cut on his shoulder was nothing more than a ridiculous… ant bite. 

The long, irritated gash, however, did not like to be ignored and stubborn as its _owner_ was, it would remind the Jagan Master of its presence, ever so tactfully, every time Ban lifted his cup of hot, brewed coffee.

...which he now dropped, meeting its doom on the hard, wooden floor; broken into a hundred tiny pieces—but not without spilling a dribble of hot liquid onto his pant-leg and shirt.

"Itaaaiii!" And this day just keeps on getting better and better.

Thus, Ban would yell, scream and curse – though not necessarily in that particular order, yet all at the same time, because of all the pain and annoyance that stupid crack of flesh was causing him.

He rarely got injured on missions, because Ban was hardly ever careless. And it was the standard operating procedure of the Get Backers to avoid any reckless fighting as much as they could help it, because their focus would always be on the retrieval.

However, getting into a stupid fight with animals – or rather, being scratched, scraped and punched by a bunch of wild monkeys was another matter all together. For the record, he did try to ask them nicely into giving back their lunch – the operative word being "try".

Ban cursed under his breath as his injury stung him again for the nth time, as he was reaching down for the broken pieces of porcelain. He needed to remember to apologize to Madoka later, to see if he could get away without paying for it. Bad luck-ed, bruised and broke weren't exactly the most appealing of conditions right now.

Wincing, Ban tried to ignore the stinging and uncomfortable pain… only failing miserably as another sting racked his already sensitive nerves. He could only be so grateful that Shido wasn't in the room at that moment, because that Monkey Trainer was not allowed to have the pleasure and satisfaction of watching Ban cry like a girl because of those stupid injuries.

He would curse all the saru in the world.

"Hai, Gin-chan! There you go!"

Natsumi's cheerful voice carried across the room, and Ban turned his attention towards where the girl had just finished redressing Ginji's – might he note – minor injuries. Still, his partner didn't stop whimpering, milking the most out of Natsumi's soothing touches.

"Mou itai! The alcohol stings, Natsumi-chan!" Ginji whined in childish tones, begging the young girl to blow cool breaths to take away the nipping at his wounds. Natsumi chuckled mildly as she complied.

"Stop sniveling, you idiot! You know you can heal those cuts by yourself!" Ban was as irritated as his gash. Seriously, Ginji should think of some other way to make a move on Natsumi. He had overdone it with the injured-hero act already.

"Demo, Ban-chaaann! It really, really stings!" Now his partner was acting more like a five-year-old who'd cut himself the first time, and it was actually becoming more ridiculous than cute. Natsumi didn't seem to mind though, as she continued to ease Ginji's pain, laughing easily at his act.

Ban rolled his eyes and began picking up the broken pieces of porcelain. He couldn't help but scream through his teeth though, as the old injury on his shoulder chose that sweet time to prick at him, assisted by his more recent ones.

"K'sss—" It hurt too much for him to even concentrate on shouting out obscenities, and Ban felt tears well up in his eyes as he struggled to shut out the sheering pain, stumbling backwards onto the floor as a consequence.

"Ban-chan!" "Ban-san!"

He vaguely heard Ginji's worried yelp, because at the same time, Natsumi had called out his name and was quickly at his side, aiding his wounded shoulder with one hand as she ushered him slowly to the nearby couch.

"I'll go get Ban-chan some ice and something cold to drink!" After he made certain that his partner would be alright in Natsumi's good hands, Ginji skipped out the room towards the kitchen (if he actually knew where that was).

"Ban-san, let me take a look at that shoulder…" Natsumi offered kindly, with one hand already gingerly taking off the sodden bandage on his arm, while the other eased him out of his undershirt. She inspected the wound concernedly, as she would often do.

Natsumi took the job of caring for the Get Backers seriously, and was doing quite magnificently at it as well: most of the time she was their waitress or their cook, but more often than not, she was their nurse when they did not have the money to pay for pricey hospital expenses.

"It needs to be redressed," Natsumi told Ban calmly; light, feathery touches tickled his skin as she carefully cleaned the wound with alcohol.

Ban hissed. It stung madly—

--but was immediately soothed by soft, cool breaths blown onto it to ease the sting. He felt his cheeks burn as the image of Natsumi's lips hovering way too close to the sensitive skin on his shoulder sunk into his head. If she should just press a little closer, her seemingly soft lips would…

Kehh! What the hell was he _thinking_!

Alarm bells suddenly went off in his head. The girl was obviously trying to mend his wounds and there he was thinking naughty thoughts about what her lips would… would do if…

Natsumi had already stopped blowing onto his shoulder, but was still perilously close to the sensitive skin near Ban's neck as she bandaged up his injury. She was ever so gentle and her touch was soothing. Ban felt himself go lax at her ministrations, almost letting out a soft moan when Natsumi's hands moved across his back, alleviating his tensed muscles.

His eyes snapped open, the bells ringing madly inside his head again. Ban was clearly distracted; he was confused and somewhat… scared at the same time. He never really allowed anyone to be this close to him—except for Ginji, of course—invading too much of his personal space was taboo. It was… a bit comforting, for some reason, though.

He moved his gaze away from her, just as she was finishing patching him up, glad that she was too preoccupied with the task to notice that light coloring on his cheeks.

Natsumi was many things to the Get Backers, and even though Ginji might make a move on her once in while, the girl clearly had a sister-friend vibe emanating from her. It had once been enough to cause him to back off… once. He did not know where all of these _other_ feelings began coming up from, so suddenly, out of nowhere.

Well, actually, he knew where; he could feel it tightening in his pants.

But Ban ignored it, his attention settling on the view outside the window. Shido and Madoka were resting peacefully under a big tree, their eyes closed, serene smiles playing on their lips as they sat side by side; while all of the Monkey Trainer's animal minions surrounded them as though on guard. There was a bit of space between them, they were almost touching, but nothing other than the tips of their fingertips caressing each other. Ban watched as Madoka shifted in her seat to lean on the trunk as she guided Shido to her lap to rest… almost immediately as though on instinct, Shido curled and snuggled up to Madoka's welcoming embrace.

Something in Ban tugged at his ever cool and devil-may-care attitude. He had to admit: he was a _tad jealous_ of the Monkey Trainer for having snagged up a pretty and nice girl like Madoka. Sure she whipped him up nicely, but Ban wondered how good it must feel to actually have somebody take care of him once in a while… to curl up into the arms of a woman, feel the warmth of her breath and caresses, and not be smacked in the head for potential indecency. Ban never had that growing up; Maria and his Grandmother were not exactly the affectionate kind of women.

So, yes, he envied the Monkey Trainer tremendously. And sometimes, he wished for someone like Madoka to take care of him, to worry about him, fuss over him every now and then, someone like a girlfriend, somebody like—

"Ban-san? Daijoubu desu ka?" Natsumi quipped in, breaking his thoughts. She peered at him anxiously, the pools of her soft, gray eyes meeting Ban's usually intense, blue orbs. Natsumi did not look away. Anyone else would have looked away… but not her. And very few Ban would have allowed to look at him directly that way. Once more, that scary-comforting feeling.

"Ban…san?"

"Ah-aa… I'm fine." He gave her a grateful, reassuring nod, banishing what was left of the light blush on his cheeks earlier. And as though to emphasize more of his point, he lifted the injured arm fervently—biting back a bit of pain in the process.

"See?" Ban flashed her a cocky grin when he recovered, "I _am_ the Invincible Ban-sama, aren't I?"

Natsumi giggled politely. "Maybe so, but you're still human." She gave one last gentle pat to his bandaged arm and shoulder before arranging things back into the first aid kit.

"Some injuries just take a little bit more time to heal, Ban-san, even in your case." She smiled kindly at him. "Let it rest for now, alright?"

Natsumi stood up, gathering all the equipment with her. Before she could move away though, Ban caught her free hand with his uninjured arm—he felt her tense a bit, perhaps from having been caught unawares by the unexpected, wanton contact.

"Hey… thanks."

She seemed mildly surprised at his gesture, but eventually felt her hand relax in his grip. Natsumi returned to him her familiar, innocent, warm smile.

Ban realized, perhaps there were some things he wasn't quite as resilient to, after all; because some things do take some time to settle. But he could wait. He knew he was content with the way things were, for the moment.


	4. Vig 4: Crash Into Me

Author's Notes: I didn't think I would be updating this series so soon -- I actually finished this about a week ago and I've been so anxious to put it up. Ah well, here it is anyway--comments and criticisms would be greatly appreciated! Applause for Saku-san & Neaera-san for wonderfully cleaning this up! Thanks so much :)

Theme #4: Secrets  
Vignette Title: Crash into Me  
Summary: In which Natsumi is confused, and Ban refuses to be a lech (Damnit Ban!)

Disclaimers: Get Backers is copyrighted to Rando Ayamine and Aoki Yuya, plus all of their other associates – no infringement is being made on their part. The characters appearing in this story are not mine, except for the plot and storyline – so if you steal this from me, you die… k? Oh, and the verses are from a song by the Dave Matthews Band, "Crash Into Me" – beautiful, but I don't think if fits the plot and atmosphere of the fic appropriately, no?

/thoughts/ - character's thoughts

* * *

_/--------------------------/_

For the Muse who would not leave me be. Yes, apparently, I am in love with you. Damnit._  
_

_/--------------------------/__  
_

_Touch your lips just so I know_  
_ In your eyes, love, it glows so_  
_ I'm bare boned and crazy for you_  
_ When you come crash_  
_ into me, baby_  
_ And I come into you_  
_ In a boys dream_  
_ In a boys dream_

_If I've gone overboard  
Then I'm begging you  
to forgive me  
in my haste  
When I'm holding you so girl  
close to me_

_/--------------------------/__  
_

She had watched him far too many times to not have recognized that expression he kept sheltered behind intense, blue eyes as he absentmindedly brushed hair off the forehead of the blonde boy who slept soundly beside him. It was the look of downright concern and kindness, of warm affection and slight amusement – which, when he thought no one was looking, he reserved only for his partner. Except she.

Though she was certain he must have been aware of her watchful presence, furtive as it may be, he never reprimanded her for it. Whether he ignored it because he felt uncomfortable, or he just didn't give a damn, either way, she didn't mind—so long as it gave her an opportunity to continue to watch him. Even at a distance.

And so, from behind the counter she carried on with her task of buffing the already dry glassware, while she held her gaze at him at a careful, side-wards glance. He was now shaking the blonde, poking him to wake, as he whispered softly in his ear, trying to sound irritated - knowing he wouldn't be able to wake him, otherwise,

"Ginji! Oi! Ginji, wake up already."

It both puzzled and amused her, how such easy tenderness could come from a man whose brashness and arrogance were near legendary. It seemed out of character, and yet… appropriate. Although she found it quite adorable, it would was during times like these that she could not help but feel a little jealous—not of Ginji, maybe not particularly, no. She understood perfectly well the bond and friendship of the Get Backers: they were _partners_ and that would never change—"it's what the 'S' stands for" after all, as Ginji had once told her.

But there were weak moments, when she simply wasn't content watching him from a distance, and she'd wish… she'd wish deeply in her heart that he would look at her that same way.

"Natsumi-chan." His voice was strong and deep, yet gentle at the same time – able to break into her thoughts with the mere sound of her name from his lips.

"Hn?" She pretended to have looked up only when he called her, innocently blinking at him as though she hadn't just had her eyes on him the whole time. /Did he notice/ She wondered vaguely.

Good thing she had dimmed the lights of the café earlier upon closing; the near darkness hid the slight tinge of pink that colored her cheeks—which she realized had been a somewhat recurring thing during the times he'd take notice of her. A silly schoolgirl crush, that's what she was having, really. /Just a silly schoolgirl crush./

"I couldn't wake Ginji up."

She couldn't see his expression properly anymore, the toned down lighting made it a little impossible, but she didn't miss the mischievous glint in his eyes when he looked at her.

"Might as well spend the night here. There's a chance of heavy rain tonight, I heard." He explained it rather matter-of-factly, despite the slight hesitation lingering in the undertones. He'd never been one used to asking favors; Ban didn't like the idea of being indebted to anyone (despite their presently increasing tab at the Honky Tonk). What with his pride and all, crashing in the Honky Tonk for the night was, what he'd like to call 'incidental requisition'.

It was one thing that she would nick food for them occasionally; the storeowner would sometimes be forgiving enough and not add it to their tab, especially if they'd been out of a job for far too long. But to use Honky Tonk as lodging as well? Well, she wouldn't be surprised if Paul would charge the Get Backers rent too, one day. Luckily for them, Paul had left that day to visit a friend somewhere up north and he wasn't expected to be back in a few days. Using the store as temporary bed space wouldn't be much trouble… for now, at least.

She turned her attention to the window, pondering on the weather outside. She could make out the constellations twinkling beyond the night sky, despite the severe smog that engulfed the streets of Shinjuku; otherwise, there were no heavy clouds, no threats of an upcoming storm.

"It does _seem_ quite cold outside, Ban-san."

He wasn't impervious to the cold, she learned; the slightest temperature drop would cause Ban to curl up to his coffee mug and actually _cuddle_ against Ginji – but not without the usual protest that he was merely leaning onto his partner to absorb some warmth. She giggled softly at the memory.

He was now staring at her with a bemused expression; confusion at her reaction and perhaps, berating himself for giving such lame justification for their stay at the Honky Tonk tonight, though hoping she was gullible enough to give in. Ban should've known better. A girl with a silly secret crush can easily be persuaded.

Thus, with her most cheerful smile, she held out an okay sign, "Daijoubu! Just for tonight, ne?" Then leaning in conspiratorially towards him at the counter, she added in near whisper, "It'll be a secret between Ban-san and I!"

The boy craned his neck to glance at her, and finally gave her a cocky (and relieved) grin, "A secret. Just for tonight."

Their eyes lingered on each other for another moment, nothing but friendly and grateful smiles exchanged—it was the best angle so far she'd ever had for watching him, when he wasn't too shy nor defensive to let her look directly into his eyes; she wasn't afraid and she could lose herself in them if only he'd allow her. But then the moment was over, and the boy had glanced back down at his sleeping friend, nudging him lightly before he propped himself up to lift him off the bar stool.

Sighing, she returned to her final task of arranging the glassware underneath the counter shelf, completely putting away any further intent of flirting with the enigmatic boy. She still spied on him, with open amusement, as he hauled his partner—with rather a bit of difficulty, since the other Get Backer was too deep in his sleep to help himself or Ban—into one of the booths and laid him down on a bench.

"Stupid electric eel must've gained some weight," she heard him mutter to no one in particular, grunting as he rotated his shoulder joints, with a feeble attempt at irritation.

When Ginji stirred slightly, groaning, perhaps subconsciously sensing the change of his position, Ban immediately sat at the end of the booth and removed Ginji's sneakers. He began massaging his partner's feet, kneading at the tired muscles gently, and a thoughtful smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

It was such a sweet gesture. And somewhat… private. She felt like an intruder to this moment, and it took some will power to look away. She didn't plan—or _want_ to be competition, but she decided that she would've probably given anything to be in Ginji's shoes right now. She chuckled half-bitterly at the metaphor.

The Get Backers were a formidable team. And they were the best of friends. It was just a silly schoolgirl crush on her part. /Get over it./ She needed to remind herself that. Besides, Ban didn't seem the type who would want to engage in some romantic, fairytale relationship, with the way he'd cop a feel at Hevn's breasts once in a while; he could be so immature.

/And hopeless./ She needed to remind herself that, too.

Still, it didn't mean she should stop taking care of them, right? She did give them her word that she would, after all. He had saved her; but so had Ginji. What she was doing for them was returning the favor, in small ways she knew how. The attraction and admiration for Ban shouldn't be an excuse not to be friends with them anymore. She has decided to get over her crush, anyway.

Slipping soundlessly out of the counter, she made her way to the storage at the back of the store to fetch some blankets. She knew Paul had a studio apartment above the store, but he would've kept it locked right now, of course. It was a good thing that he kept his linen somewhere accessible and close by, though.

When she returned, she found a curled up Ginji on the bench, Ban's four-tailed white shirt covering his sleeping form. His tall stature did not allow him much space even in that position as his socked feet were dangling at the edge; still it seemed he was sleeping comfortably. Ban sat across him, leaning upright onto the wall, his black undershirt clinging tightly to his toned upper body. Natsumi found herself blushing once more at this. Thank God the lights were still dimmed low.

Tiptoeing over to Ginji first, she placed one soft blanket on top of him, glad that at least it covered most of his body. For a while, she watched him sleep - peaceful and still childlike in his slumber. She felt a small pang of guilt when she recalled her earlier thoughts of wanting to be in his place, even for just a little while. There wasn't a chance, even if he and Ban were only friends.

Looking over at the dark-haired boy, she clutched nervously at the other blanket in her arms. His expression appeared to be relaxed, but she couldn't make out if he was asleep, though, she hoped he was. She couldn't help the burning of her cheeks as she made her way towards him, kneeling gingerly between his legs and began unfolding the blanket. She tried not to look at Ban's face as she draped the thick fabric onto his chest, only acutely conscious of her skin tingling at their close proximity, tempting her to touch him and feel him beneath her fingers… She was _really_ glad he was asleep.

"It's late. You should be getting home."

…or not.

/What/ She had almost lost her balance when she tumbled backwards away from him; until she felt his arms steady her from behind, somehow drawing her closer, if possible, with the blanket filling in the space between them.

"B-Ban-san!... Gomen, I didn't—I mean, I thought you were asleep."

Now she really couldn't look at him; embarrassment was one thing she hadn't yet mastered handling. She could feel his eyes on her – deep, blue orbs studying her features in the shadows. Why was he contemplating her?

"I meant to."

She gaped at him, nervous that he could've read her mind, and too lost for words until she remembered her comment before. There was no hint of annoyance in his tone, however, just... mild flirtation? Strangely drawn to this unexpected side of him, she felt anxious and excited at the same time.

Suddenly, becoming keenly aware of their somewhat compromising position, it made her feel quite vulnerable. If he stared at her a little longer, she was sure he'd find out about her secret crush, even without needing to look into her eyes and using the Evil Eye to see. And just as she was about to let go…

"I meant to walk you to the station first so—"

"No! I'm—I have to go." She leapt up, rather gracelessly, waving off her arms to distract him. "I'll be alright, thanks!"

"But—"

She knew she had to get away from him. Fast. She could not risk a minute. It would probably be the first time she felt truly scared of his abilities. Not because of what it could do to her, but of what might happen after it was over and she had to face the reality of rejection—that would be a nightmare that might take longer than a minute to snap out of. She had better banish these feelings now before…

"Natsumi-chan."

His tone was quite uneven, but there was still this special ring to it whenever he would say her name. She would usually blame it to her own silliness, or exhaustion, if nothing else. The darkness had finally swallowed any remaining hints of his expression—of which she was somehow glad, not really prepared for anything she might see. Only the silhouette of his half-risen form drawn in her mind. All she could make out was a silhouette of his half-risen form.

"It's ok, really. Please lock the door after I'm gone, ok? I'll see you in the morning." She was, if anything, a creature of habit. Her voice still had the chirpy quality to it, which could've fooled anyone. It fooled her. Hopefully, Ban, too. "Oyasumi, Ban-san."

"Oyasumi…"

It's not too late. They were still friends.

And they had that little secret.

_/--------------------------/_

_Oh I watch you there  
through the window  
And I stare at you  
You wear nothing but you  
wear it so well  
tied up and twisted  
the way I'd like to be  
For you, for me, come crash  
into me_

_/--------------------------/_


End file.
